Ragtime on Ellis Island
“If walls could whisper…” – Sammi Cannold, Director of Ragtime on Ellis Island
Earlier this week NYFA Fiscally Sponsored Project, Ragtime on Ellis Island, presented a special one night only developmental concert of Ragtime in the beautiful and hallowed Registry Room on Ellis Island.
The event was a whirlwind of history, music, acting, and above all else, powerful voices. With a star-studded cast (Laura Michelle Kelly, Michael Park, Andy Mientus, Aisha Jackson, Brandon Victor Dixon, Robert Petkoff, and others), including narration by Brian Stokes Mitchell, it is no surprise that the performances received repeated standing ovations and left the audience buzzing for more.
It was, without a doubt, a magical evening that brought back themes that are as important today as they were in 1998 when Ragtime first opened on Broadway.
See Brian Stokes Mitchell and Brandon Victor Dixon preform “Make Them Hear You”: http://www.playbill.com/article/watch-brian-stokes-mitchell-laura-michelle-kelly-and-brandon-victor-dixon-in-ragtime-on-ellis-island
Just the beginning! Sammi and her team intend to build on this momentum and bring Ragtime back in the summer of 2017 for a longer running site-specific production. You can read more about this fiscally sponsored project and how to support the work by visiting their profile on the NYFA Project Directory.
Here is what the community is saying about this site-specific work!
“It felt as if the ghosts of years past infiltrated the Island for the event. Cast members reenacted how immigrants entered America, in the very room where it happened over 100 years ago.” Michael Gioia, Playbill.com
“The question of what it means to be and become American is just as relevant now as it was in 1902, and in asking that question in the very room where so many of our ancestors discovered the answer, Ragtime on Ellis Island offers an unprecedented opportunity to bring history to life in new ways.” BroadwayWorld.com
“Thank you @ragtimeonellis for one of the most gorgeous presentations of theatre of my entire life.” BroadwayGirlNYC, Twitter
Want more Ragtime on Ellis Island?
Visit the website and support the project: http://www.ragtimeonellis.com/
Check out videos of performances here: http://www.playbill.com/article/watch-brian-stokes-mitchell-laura-michelle-kelly-and-brandon-victor-dixon-in-ragtime-on-ellis-island
Read this Playbill.com interview with director Sammi Cannold: http://www.playbill.com/article/how-will-a-22-year-old-director-stage-ragtime-on-ellis-island
NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship allows individual artists and emerging arts organizations in all disciplines the ability to raise funds using NYFA’s tax-exempt status as a 501©(3)-classified organization. Under NYFA’s fiscal sponsorship, artists and organizations can optimize the reach of their fundraising efforts. Deadlines for the program are quarterly; learn more here.
Images: photos by Sarah Corpron
